The upper level of the promenade offered a perfect vantage point for those wishing to observe the celestial ballet of the wormhole. It was here that Garak found N'ivryn, her eyes wide with wonder, glued to the viewing window as it unfurled and then closed upon itself with a grace that defied comprehension.
Garak stood a respectful distance away. There was an innocence in her awe, a childlike fascination with the universe that he rarely encountered. He felt an unusual pang of reluctance to disturb her, so he waited until the last tendrils of the wormhole had receded before making his presence known.
"I hope I'm not interrupting a private moment with the cosmos" he called softly, moving towards her.
She turned, her face still glowing with the thrill of what she'd just witnessed. "Oh, Garak, it's you! I wasn't expecting to see anyone up here. Isn't it the most beautiful thing you've ever seen?"
He inclined his head, a graceful acknowledgment. "Indeed, the wormhole has a beauty that never ceases to astonish, even to those of us who see it regularly. But I must admit, there's something particularly enchanting about seeing it through the eyes of someone experiencing it for the first time."
"I suppose I must seem quite naive, marveling at something you've all grown used to."
"Naive? Not at all. Refreshing, perhaps. The universe has a way of becoming mundane to those who stop looking for the wonder in it."
N'ivryn's expression turned thoughtful, and she looked back out the window where the wormhole had been, her eyes distant. "Perhaps it's a reminder that there's always something more out there, something beyond what we know and understand."
Garak studied her for a moment, sensing something deeper in her words. "A philosophical observation, and one that I find intriguing. But may I ask what brings you to this secluded spot today?"
The question seemed to draw her back from her reverie, and she turned to face him again, her expression more guarded. "I just needed a moment away from all the questions, the scrutiny. It's become...taxing."
"Ah, the relentless curiosity of Starfleet. I can understand how it might wear on you." Garak unclasped his hands, revealing a small orange data rod with Quark's branding scrawled across it. "Speaking of curiosity, I find myself with something that might be of interest to you. Though calling it a gift might be overly generous, it's more of an...acquired amusement."
N'ivryn's eyebrows raised, her interest piqued. "An acquired amusement? You make it sound so mysterious."
"Well, mystery has its charms. I happened upon this holoprogram while engaging in a friendly negotiation with our resident Ferengi entrepreneur. It's a modified version of a beach on Risa that I'm told is quite popular. I instructed him to remove the crowds and chatter, as much as he may have insisted those were the best parts. I must confess, I know little of what your home planet is like, but I thought perhaps this could provide at least a little bit of familiarity."
She took the data rod in her fingers and inspected it curiously. Her guarded demeanor softened a few notches. "That's…very thoughtful of you. Thank you."
"I took a few liberties with my assumptions, but hopefully none of them are too far off base. Sometimes, a change of scenery, especially one as serene as a deserted beach on a vast ocean, can be quite refreshing."
N'iv gently closed her fingers over the item. "At the risk of seeming once again…painfully naive, I must confess, I've never actually used a holoprogram before. Would you be willing to join me in trying it out?"
A momentary flash of surprise showed on his face, and his instinct was to decline. Regardless of how she meant it, the arrangement would appear intimate from the outside looking in, and Odo's suspicious gaze was already an ever-present annoyance. But then his thoughts shifted, and a sly smile crept onto his face.
"If it will help you feel more at ease during your stay here, I don't see why not?"
Her nervousness seemed to ease with his acceptance, and she nodded, a genuine smile spreading across her face. "Yes, I would like that very much."
As they made their way to the holosuite, Garak thought quietly about how he might use the opportunity to draw out a few more details of N'iv's homeworld she was so reluctant to share. The logs from her ship had left him with many questions, though it was still too soon to broach any of them. The part he wouldn't admit to her—or himself—was how nice it felt to be regarded simply as a friend for once.